New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-07-10
MIR. WINDOW ON THE DRINK EVIL

Ex-Seoretary WINDOWS address at the Wood
stock celebration on "The Saloon in Politics
was distinguished by q practical good sense
and sobriety of Judgment which it would be
well If all temperance advocates could initiate.
| The essence of his address was the expression
| of opinion as to the best means Of opposing and
overcoming the influence Of the saloon in poll
| tics. and here the line of demarkation between
practicabilT and impiacticabilty is clearly
and sharply drawn. Mr.. Window holds, with
all thinkers ON the sub Jet not biased by
precommttal tn a rigid and inelastic policy
that the most effective way to meet the drink
evil is to adapt the remedial agencies to local
conditions, thus utilizing TO the utmost tho
Temperance sentiment everywhere. The differ
ence between this policy and that of the Pro
hibitionists is radical. The latter insist upon
total abstinence, and because they will not
accept partial gains where sweeping success
ia ont Of the question, they frequently lay
| themselves open TO the accusation Of practically
supporting tie evil against which they arc
organized This accusation always angcrs
them. but it is certainly not a slanderous one,
for it often happens that their refusal to help
or cooperate with those who seek progress OF
the rum power.
To take the Prohibition position is in fact
to say that there shall be no gradual approach
to temperance reform, but that where the en-
forcement of total abstinence is not possible
(as In all large cites( there shall be no nterfer-
ence with the drink evil. Now Mr.. Window,
being a sensible and cear-sighted man, secs
that this cannot be the best way to bring
about the temperance education Of the people.
and he perceives that If real progress is to be
made a much more elastic and adaptive policy
will have to be introduced Tho Prohibi-
tionists, as is evident, make no Roadway In the
great political centres. They rouse antago-
nism, but they gain few converts in such places.
Where temperance views are already largely
hold, as in the country, they obtain many re-
cruts. But precisely where missionary work
Is most needed they fail altogether One plain
reason for this is their absolute refusal to
take half loaf as the alternative with 10
bread. II they were willing to accept such
CITY gains as are practicable and would work
with those who desire to introduce feasible
reforms they would soon find that each step
forward made further advance easier. But 1t Ia
only by adopting the elastic policy indicated by
Mr. Window land long ago advocated by The
TRIBUNE) that this Can be accomplished. and
there Is only one political organization in the
country-namey, the Repub lican party-through
which the work can be done.
High license with local option practically
covers the ground. Where one will not apply
the other will. The first for the cities. the
second for the country. small towns and villages,
offers each in it's turn the policy best adapted
to existing conditions Prohibition cannot. at
least as yet conquer appetite in cities. 1t has
failed to do so even in the large cities Of Maine
where 1t has had thirty years opportunity to
demons trate its power. After full generation
Of trial it ia being asserted by citizens of
Bangor for example, that the law lis not and
cannot be enforced there. But high license
can be enforced. and it produces distinctly
good effects, restricting the evil. curbIng 1t,
and forcing it to repair some at least OF the
mischief it engenders. All the sound arguments.
all tho practical considerations. appear in fact
to be on the side of the elastic policy of high
license and local option. and that is the policy
which the Republican anti-saloOD movement
aims at applying. The fact. moreover, that
nearly all the chief gains of Prohibition have
been made in the country districts, and that
for all practical purposes the cities are still
nearly everywhere an untouched field seems
no warrant the conclusion that the Prohib-
tiopists will eventually be compelled to come
over to this line of action as the sole alterna-
tive with failure in full half their work. When
that time comes they will find also that the
Republican party is the only one they can
work with, and that is in sympathy with their
objects.